Same Collection With 2 Collection Agencies

[Dawnnjoness]

I have a debt that is with two seperate collection agencies. Vance & Huffman LLC  and AA Recovery Solutions. 

Does anyone have advice on what next steps should be? Isn't this violation of FDCPA? 

[JoeRockhead]

Having more than one CA isn't that uncommon. It likely means that the debt was sold from one agency to another. Did both these companies properly validate the debt with you?... If one, or both of them didn't, or are unable to, that's a violation of the FDCPA.

[coldworld]

Potentially useful DP

Vance & Huffman LLC does do pay-for-deletion.

[pizzadude]

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@Dawnnjoness wrote:

I have a debt that is with two seperate collection agencies. Vance & Huffman LLC  and AA Recovery Solutions. 

Does anyone have advice on what next steps should be? Isn't this violation of FDCPA? 

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Are both companies currently reporting collections on your credit reports for the same amount / creditor ?

[Dawnnjoness]

Only Vance and Huffman is reporting on my transunion report. The other has just been sending letters requesting payment. 

[Dawnnjoness]

I have requested validation from Vance and Huffman, but not the other since i just started receiving letters 

[bass_playr]

I don't believe it is proper for more than one 3rd party debt collector to be trying to get payment from you at the same time.  I would DV both of them via certified mail and see what comes back.  

[vntrsc]

If Vance and Huffman purchased the account, it is possible that the  other collection agency was hired by Vance and Huffman to collect on its behalf.  Debt buyers can use other collection agencies to collect.

[bass_playr]

Yes, it is possible but not as likely that V&H would both collect on it themselves and hire an outside company to do it at the same time.  That doesnt make sense.  

In either event, if both V&H and this other collector show up on your credit at the same time that is an issue I would dispute.  The only time it's lawful for two entities to report the same debt at the same time is when the OC is reporting and the current debt collector is also reporting.  When a third party debt collector stops collecting on that account they no longer have a permissible purpose to be on your report, though the original creditor still does.

[Brian_Earl_Spilner]

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@bass_playr wrote:

Yes, it is possible but not as likely that V&H would both collect on it themselves and hire an outside company to do it at the same time.  That doesnt make sense.  

In either event, if both V&H and this other collector show up on your credit at the same time that is an issue I would dispute.  The only time it's lawful for two entities to report the same debt at the same time is when the OC is reporting and the current debt collector is also reporting.  When a third party debt collector stops collecting on that account they no longer have a permissible purpose to be on your report, though the original creditor still does.

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They're not both reporting per the op. Vance is reporting and they just started getting letters from another agency. It could simply be that it was acquired by Vance through a portfolio purchase and they then turned around and sold it. I've had it happen to one of my collections.